Crystal River current., 1887-03-26
THE GERMAN ARMY.
ne Hest Intelligent Machine OF War-A Ceu-
summate Weapon.

summate Weapon.
The German military correspond
mt OF the London Times has been
: writing an interesting series of letters
On the German army, as seen in its
recent review before the Emperor
The Times comments on the subject
at length. saying among other things
the following
Europe pays SO. light pric Elm every
way for its armaments that it ought to
EEL pleasure when it has good cause
lor belief that it is obtaining worth for
its money. Any one who has careful
~ followed our military correspond
snt'ss reports OF the German man.
nuvres in the neighborhood of Stras-
nurg must be persuaded that
the cost OF the Emperor Williams s
is not thrown away. Never was there
q machine of war more intelligent or
perhaps SO intelligent. The private
soldiers are strong and active. They
take long marches without becoming
tootsore. They are drenched to the
skin, and burst out into spontaneous
song as they proceed to their quarters.
Victims of conscription, they are en-
thusiastic about their emperor and
princes. They bear to be scolded as
If they were galley slaves by their Off
GERS, from corporal to field mar
shall, without utterlng word in de-
fence. A startled hare attracts hardly
q glance, much less a loot in pursuit.
They are always ready, whether for a
battle or parade. Their accountre-
ments, il not as expensive as those of
British troops, are absolutely service
able. Our correspondent has discov-
cred no defect, except in the not i'm
maculate pipeclay OF some belts.
The German army is a consu,nmate
weapon. Never was one forged of finer
temper or keener edge. Never was one
more costly. The precious life-blood
OF most intelligent people, the choic-
est treasures of national energy, and
an infinite mass OF commoner wealth
have been and are being lavished to
make it the splendid thing it is. The
expenditure would be altogether mex
cusaole if it were mere toy. Germany
and Europe know it is not that. 1t has
served tor the resuscitation OF ma
tionality and is kept on foot to pre-
serve it. Whether it be competent to
crush all assaults only facts can dem
onstrate. The danger it has to meet
is presumed by itself rightly or wrong
ly, to come mainly from the side OF
France. Frenchmen who retain the
thirst for revenge are said to be as
persuaded OF the irresistible might OF
their reorganized army as are Ger
mans OF theirs.
The precise issue of the shock of two
such tremendous engines of war as
the French and German armies in their
present state it is impossible for the
profoundest military expert to pre-
dict. At any rate it is inconceivable
that the German should be over
powered to an extent which would
leave it at the mercy of terms its ad-
versaries should decide to impose. In
all military experience an antagonist
SO evenly matched as, at all events,
Germany would be has never been
forced to submit at discretion. At
best, the utmost success to be antici-
pated in a contest against it is such
as would approximate to drawn
game. France might waste the re-
sources ofGermany and dwarf the pro-
gress oil the German nation. Against
the armaments Germany possesses
the prospect is so slight OF any posi-
tive reversal OF the results OF the last
great conflict that the most pas.
sionate French patriotism must see
the prudence OF holding aloof from an
ordeal in which there is very much for
France still to lose, and practically
nothing to gain.